“It’s impossible to keep up with today’s beauty standards – do natural beauty standards even exist?” questioned Becca, a 25-year-old Fashion Student in NYC, “social media and filters have shifted our perception of beauty, the only way to keep up is by going under the knife.”
Becca’s sentiment echoes a growing trend. A 2021 American Society of Plastic Surgeons survey revealed nearly half of their patients felt influenced by social media to opt for surgery (Dr. Saber).
Additionally, according to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, in 2020, 72% of cosmetic surgeons had consultations with patients that “wanted to look better in selfies” (Dr. Saber).
It can be easy to get caught up in the fantasy of social media and the ability to wrap how you can portray yourself online. Botox, fillers, and plastic surgery emerge as tools to bring these altered images to life. The progression from minor ‘tweakments’ like baby botox, advocated by influencers, to more invasive procedures such as buccal fat removal or even breast augmentation seems almost natural.
You can make minor aesthetic tweaks or “tweakments” to achieve a perfectly symmetrical face, plumper lips or the ever-trendy cat eye plastered all over TikTok.
Our perception of reality has become distorted because of social media and these image-altering filters.
It begs the question: Can Botox lead to a boob job? And how does social media fit into this ever-evolving phenomenon?
What is a Med-Spa
So, what is a “Med-Spa”?
Medical spas are venues that provide treatments which target specific cosmetic concerns. Medical Spa is an umbrella term encompassing everything from a treatment room with a plastic surgeon to a storefront in a strip mall where you can get a mani-pedi with Botox.
Med spas are known to be loosely regulated. A med spa, for example, can be affiliated with a doctor. Still, even that can mean anything from having a board-certified plastic surgeon on site who supervises every procedure to a doctor who doesn’t even specialize in skincare, merely lending their name to the establishment (for a cut of the profits, naturally).
In a nutshell, a med spa provides treatments that target cosmetic concerns. However, their focus extends beyond treatments to selling complementary products.
Understanding Plastic Surgery
The easiest way to think about plastic surgery is “going under the knife”.
Plastic surgery is a medical specialty involved in improving a person’s appearance. Plastic surgery restores and improves function, as well as appearance.
It can involve surgery on any part of the anatomy, except the central nervous system, including, but not limited to, Skin (including skin cancer, scars, burns, birthmarks, and tattoo removal), Maxillofacial (the facial skeleton), and Congenital anomalies (including deformed ears, cleft palate, and cleft lip).
Plastic surgery is broken down into two categories: reconstructive and cosmetic. For this article, we’ll be focusing specifically on cosmetic surgery.
Aesthetic Trends of 2023
If you’ve scrolled through social media lately, you have probably noticed influencers looking slimmer, which has led to many people questioning whether they’ve had their Brazilian Butt Lifts removed in favour of smaller hips and waist.
Over the past decade, many celebrities and influencers have taken the bigger is a better approach (think Kim K), but now we’re seeing a shift back to more natural-looking physiques.
Influencers influence people, and there’s been a subtle shift recently towards a more natural-looking aesthetic.
When it comes to plastic surgery, many patients are still interested in a butt lift, but more minor; the same goes for boob jobs.
In other words, extreme plastic surgery is falling out of trend, and a more athletic and natural look is taking its place. Individuals who opted for larger breast implants now want them removed and replaced with smaller options.
Many plastic surgeons also see a rise in liposuction and body contouring, which removes fat from the body. Liposuction has always been a popular procedure; some surgeons are noticing a more personalized approach to liposuction.
I dub these procedures “lipo-tweakments” – the removal of fat in some unique places such as ankles, calves, armpits, and upper back.
Med-Spa Procedures
For those who do not want plastic surgery or are not yet ready to go under the knife, Med Spas have several minimally invasive procedures available.
Recently, there has been an uptick in nonsurgical procedures at Med Spas, such as Botox, filler, and facial rejuvenation techniques. With the rise of lip and cheek injections, injectables and derma fillers remain among the most sought-after cosmetic treatments.
As plastic surgery trends evolve, these less drastic procedures gain popularity.
Social Media’s Influence on Aesthetic Alterations
Plastic surgery has always seen its share of celebrity worship. Every plastic surgeon in the country has had one patient who requests “Bella Hadid’s eyes” or “Kylie Jenner’s lips.”
Sometimes, these surgeries are ill-advised, as Bella’s eyes will not fit every face — but with a few tweaks and a genuinely caring cosmetic surgeon, patients could eventually attain graceful and natural results for their eye lifts.
Yet, over the past two years, we’ve seen just how much social media promotes plastic surgery — but without the backing of “real faces.” Patients moved away from genetically blessed Hollywood royalty and began taking their cues from newly famous social media influencers or even their own edited selfies.
The Result of Social Media Use on Self-Esteem and Aesthetic Alterations
Even regulatory bodies are now taking notice. According to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, in 2020, 72% of cosmetic surgeons saw patients who “wanted to look better in selfies” coming for consultations (Dr. Saber). In 2021, a survey study by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons showed that nearly half of all patients reported social media played a role in their decision to seek plastic surgery (Dr.Saber).
This plastic surgery phenomenon is not restricted to the United States; earlier this year, the Australian Board of Plastic Surgeons suggested there is a strong link between social media use and acceptance of cosmetic surgery procedures (MyDr). Over three months, the researchers recruited more than 250 people to participate in the survey through online platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
The people involved reported demographic data, the social media platforms they used and how many hours a day they used those platforms (MyDr). They were also asked about their use of photo-editing tools – including photo-editing software like Photoshop and photo-filtering applications like Snapchat (that have various filters to hollow your cheeks, plump your lips, or make your eyes more prominent).
Finally, they were asked how often they digitally enhanced their photos, how often they took selfies, and about their self-esteem. Most of the survey respondents were women with an average age of 24 (MyDr).
The researchers found that the more social media applications a person used, the more likely they were to consider cosmetic surgery. Those who used Tinder and Snapchat were more likely to have a positive attitude toward surgery than other apps.
Interestingly, they also found that people who had removed or untagged themselves from social media photographs were also more likely to want surgery, perhaps suggesting they were especially conscious about their presentation or body image (MyDr).
The Pipeline from Botox to Boob Job
Now that we have established a correlation between social media, filters, and cosmetic surgery – we can now move forward in addressing how med-spa treatments are a gateway to plastic surgery procedures.
For this article, I interviewed 20 different women of varying ages to gauge their opinions on med-spa and plastic surgery procedures – specifically whether med-spa is a gateway to further aesthetic and more permanent alterations. The questions focused on their views on med-spas, plastic surgery, and their personal experiences, if any, with both.
Their overall responses varied, but what was similar across the board was the notion that social media affects your desire to change your appearance and that med spas are potential gateways for more invasive procedures.
Twenty out of twenty participants said they find themselves influenced by social media to alter their appearance.
“What we see on social media effects how we view ourselves. Skinny nose and the plump lips doesn’t always look good but its what we see everyday on celebs to influencers – of course we want to look like them” – Julia, 27
“Social media and filters have shifted our perception of beauty” – Becca, 25
Regarding med-spas and plastic surgery, ten individuals stated that med-spas are a definite gateway to plastic surgery, and six individuals said that it depends on the patient’s personality (addictive or not). The final four stated that med-spas are a gateway, but it depends on your budget and resources.
“Once you get one thing, you will want more. When filler stops working you will look to plastic surgery for a more permanent solution” – Valentina, 31
“Med-Spas are a potential gateway for getting more work done – it just depends on your personality type and if you know when to stop” – Peggy, 60
“You’re not ugly, you’re just poor – of course we all want work done but we can’t afford it” – Julia, 27
The Evolving Landscape of Cosmetic Enhancement
What we see on social media profoundly affects our body image and overall perception of ourselves. Celebrities and influencers are not doing us a favour by not owning up to their procedures.
Social media’s impact on self-perception and beauty standards is undeniable. Med-Spas, offering accessible cosmetic enhancements, are becoming initial steps towards more permanent surgical alterations. This trend, driven by the pursuit of unattainable perfection, will likely continue growing.
myDr. “Social Media Influences Attitudes towards Cosmetic Surgery.” MyDr.Com.Au, 28 Nov. 2023, mydr.com.au/mental-health/social-media-influences-attitudes-towards-cosmetic-surgery/.
Saber, Dr. Sepideh. “The ‘Instaface Effect’: How Social Media Shapes Plastic Surgery Expectations.” Saber Plastic Surgery, Saber Plastic Surgery, 9 Nov. 2022, saberplasticsurgery.com/blog/social-media-and-plastic-surgery-expectations/.
